Dehydrator



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Oct. 24, 1944. D. BREWER DEHYDRATGR Filed June 25, 1943 1w l 0am a Z 74e we?" vz v D. BREWER DEHYDRATOR Filed June 25, 1943 k J yum/rtm1,

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DEHYDRATOR Filed June 25, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Bandai ew Patented Oct. 24, 1944 teur fori-*ice DEHYDRATOR Danial. Brewer, Longview,

half to Tex., assignr of one- EdwardV Fanning Wheat, Kilgore, Tex.

Applicationlmneg 25, 1943, serial N0.. 492,293

3, Claims.

This invention relatesto food dehydrators..

An object of this invention is to provide dehydrating apparatus which is simple in construction and embodies a minimum of criticalv material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dehydrator which rincludes a drying chamber, and means for suspending food containers in the chamber, the food containers being filled on the exterior of the chamber and drawn through a trap door into the chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide` dehydrator apparatus which includes a drying chamber, a blanchingl or steaming chamber eXteriorly of the drying chamber, a plurality of flexible pervious containers for the food products, and exible suspension means for the containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved method of dehydration which includes the initial preparationA of the foodpproducts, placing the prepared. products. in flexible containers, sterilizing theproducts ina .steam chamber, and finally suspending the containers in a heated chamber. v

With the foregoing objects in View, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention, as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through dehydrating apparatus constructed according to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2-y-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View, on an4 enlarged scale, of one of the food containers; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end elevation of one of the food containers.

Referring to the drawings the numeral I3 designates generally a housing which is formed with a drying or heating chamber II. The housing I0 has mounted on the bottom wall I2 thereof a heating means, generally designated as I4, The heating means I4 includes a burner I3 which may be connected to a suitable source of heating supply such as gas or/ steam, and the burnern I3 is mounted in a dome-shaped housing I5.

An arcuatershield ordeflector I6 is secured to the top of the heater housing I5. having the concave side thereof uppermost. The housing Il) has formed in the top wall I1 thereof, an opening |8 and a pivoted trap door I9 is secured tothe upper edge of the opening I3. An` inwardly and upwardly directed combined shield and guide 20 is` secured to the inner side ofv the front Wall I1, the shield deflecting ythefheated air as it rises fromthe heater I4, and preventing rising hot air from passing out of the opening I8.

A food preparing tablev 27| is disposed exteriorly ofthe housing It, and forwardlyof the front-wall Il. The table 2| isrof sumcient length so that the food, subsequent to treatment thereof, may be properly prepared, including drying of the food. A steam chamber 22r is interposed between the table 2| and the housing II). The steam chamber 22. includes an upwardly opening housing having notches23 in the side walls 24 thereof. .A anged closure or top .25 is adapted to engage over the upper open end of thev steam chamber 22 and substantially cover the slots 23.. The steam chamber 22 is connected by means of a pipe 26 to a suitable source of steam supply. The steam chamber 22, in the present instance, is supported by supporting legs 21.

The food which isV to bedehydrated is, after being properly prepared on the table 2|, placed in perforate containers, generally designated as 28. These containers 23 are, in the present instance, formed of a cylindrical wall 29 which may be formed of fabric, and is also formed of opposite end walls 30. A closure 3| is formed integral with the cylindrical wall 29, and is swung to open position at the time the products are initially placed in the container 28. The container 28 is formed with an elongated longitudinal tunnel 32 through which a rigid rod 33 is extended. The rod 33 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart hooks 34 and the closure 3| is formed With openings 35 so that the free edge of the closure 3| may be engaged with the hooks 34 to hold the closure inclosed position. The ends of the rod 3| project beyond the opposite ends of the container 28 and are adapted to engage in loops 3B which are formed in a pair of flexible suspending members 31. The loops 36 are held on the rod 33, by means of cotter pins 38 or other suitable fastening means. The cables or flexible members 38 are wound about a winding shaft 39, which is journalled through the side walls 40' of the housing I 0, ad-A jacent the upper portion of the housing. A crank 4| is secured to the shaft 39 and a ratchet 42 may also be secured to the shaft 39 exteriorly of the housing I0, the ratchet 42 having a pawl 43 engaged therewith so as to hold the shaft lil against rotation in one direction. The top wall 44 of the housing l0 is provided with an outlet 45 for permitting the heated air to be exhausted from the housing.

As shown in Figure l, the cables or flexible suspending means 31 are formed with a series of spaced apart loops 36 so that a plurality of containers 28 may be suspended in vertically spaced apart parallel relation within the housing l0, and

above the heating member I4.

In the use and operation of apparatus the food products are initially prepared on the table 2l, and a container 28 is placed on the table 2|, and lled with the prepared food product. 'Ihe filled container isthen moved forthis dehydrator Where a circulating means is provided, a valve or damper may be mounted in the outlet 45, to

prevent the complete exhaust of the heated air, but permit the exhaust of a predetermined quantity of such heated air.

I claim:

1. Dehydrating means comprising in combina- `provide for extension thereof through the side Wardly by Winding the shaft 39 and the lled container is then dropped into the steam chamber 22. The food products are subjected to a steam treatment for a suitable length of time, and then the food container 28 is moved into the housing I0, the trap door I9 being raised and the shaft 39 being wound to pull the steamed container and food products into the housing ID. When all of the containers are filled and have passed through the steam chamber, the trap door I9 is closed and the containers will then be suspended, as shown in dottedv lines in Figure 1. The heatl in the chamber I l will evaporate the moisture from the food products, the initial steam treatment preventing any case hardening of the rood products when the latter arevsuspended within the drying chamber Il. l

It will, of course, be understood that as many supporting or suspending members may be pro'- vided in the housing I0 as may be desired, there being shown only one pair of suspending members for suspending a single column of food containers. The provision of the rigid rods 33 which extend through the tunnels 32, prevent any sagging of the filled containers when suspended Within the drying chamber. It will, of course, be understood that if desired suitable forcible exhaustmeans may be provided for exhausting the air in the drying chamber Il `or for circulating the heated air within the chamber.

Wall opening of the chamber with said closure in open position and initial engagement of said containers in said steam chamber.

2. In dehydrating apparatus, a perforate nexible food container, a rigid rod extending through said Acontainer and projecting beyond the ends of the container, and a pair of supporting elements engageable with the projecting ends of said rod, said container including a ilexible closure adapted, when in closed position, to overlap said rod, and means carried by said rod for holding said closure in closed position.

3. Dehydrating means comprising a housing, heating means in said housing, a exible elongated perforate food container, a rigid rod carried by said container,v and means engageable with said rod for suspending said container above said heating means, said suspending means including a crankshaft carried by said housing, a pair of fiexible members Wound about said shaft, a loop carried by each flexible member for receiving the ends of .said rod whereby said container maybe suspended in adjusted position above said i heating means, a flexible closure for each container overlapping said rod and means carried by said rod for holding said closure in closed position.

DANIAL BREWER. 

